Los Angeles, - September 25: Homes sit in the shadows of the Inglewood oil field as Governor Gavin Newsom signs legislation related to oversight of oil and gas wells, and community protections on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, . (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – The City of Los Angeles is caught in a strange legal limbo in its effort to end neighborhood oil drilling. Officials are forcing to repeal a 2022 phaseout law to eventually enact a new one that aligns with updated state regulations. But in the meantime, drilling continues largely unchecked, prompting outcry from residents who say their health is under attack while the legal dust settles.
On Friday, the L.A. City Council unanimously repealed its 2022 ordinance phasing out oil drilling over 20 years. The move mirrors a similar repeal by L.A. County earlier this month. Both governments were forced to act after oil companies sued, arguing local laws overstepped state authority. A court overturned the city’s ordinance in late 2024.
Repairing the phaseout law is part of the city’s continued effort to eliminate oil drilling. Effective this year, a new state law clarifies that local governments have the power to regulate drilling, so L.A. must now rescind and replace its earlier ordinance to comply.
In the meantime, drilling continues in some of the city’s densest neighborhoods. Independent amortization studies show many oil sites—such as those operated by E&B Natural Resources and Warren E&P—have already recouped their investment or will within five years. But other sites may take up to 40 years, meaning decades more pollution near homes, schools, and parks.
Residents living near sites like the Murphy drill site in South L.A. say the ongoing operations are dangerous, particularly “acid maintenance”—a process in which chemicals are injected into wells to improve output. Community members, including Richard Parks of Redeemer Community Partnership, describe strong fumes, burned vegetation, and health risks to families.
“We’ve seen workers in full-body suits and gas masks while kids play on the other side of the wall with zero protection,” Parks said.
A motion introduced in December aimed to halt acid maintenance, but city attorneys advised against it due to the risk of more lawsuits. Since the local government struck down the city ordinance, acid maintenance has ramped up, with 32 notices of operations between September 2024 and March 2025.
Now, residents are pushing for interim protections—enforced public hearings, electric equipment, better communication, and pollution monitoring—until the city’s new ordinance is adopted later this year.
“It’s urgent that we protect the children and families who live around these sites while oil extraction is being phased out,” Parks said.
